Storms come, destroy and cleanse, renewing

 Monday came and went, a day full of blessings. Every errand I ran involved people who were friendly and outgoing. The school bus dropped my children off early. Smooth sailing. Night was a cycle of fever and chills, nose is running still.
   My son's tears and reluctance to go to school served as a catalyst for my own emotional cleansing. The spot of woods I ran into had a chunk of tree that had been cut off, it's partial limbs stripped of bark as if a wood carver had been at it. Turned over, it's odd lengths created stability on the embankment for sitting upon.
   As I sat and released a cardinal came to sit upon the branch next to me. Crows circled overhead cawing as if ready to do battle with whatever was bothering me. A leaf pressed to forehead eased tension like a lover's kiss of blessing. Crying turned into singing and joyous communion amongst the tres. The cardinal followed me out as the crows had quieted and left me. The song bird who usually greets me at the basketball hoop joined it's presence with this morning's feathered retinue. As I sat to begin typing this, I glanced at the open window to see cardinal had followed me here, too. Peace and company are this morning's storm's gifts to me.